The American Civil Liberties Union's official view remains that the Second Amendment protects a "collective right rather than an individual right." But the organization nevertheless is helping the National Rifle Association (NRA) fend off extralegal attempts by New York state officials to put it out of business.

In a brief filed in federal court today, the Aclu argues that New York's strong-arm efforts to compel banks and insurance companies to ditch the NRA as a customer represent a glaring violation of the First Amendment.

The ACLU's amicus brief never says the group agrees with the NRA's positions on firearms. Instead, explains Declan McCullagh, the group invokes a long series of First Amendment cases to argue that the regulators should not use their power in office to punish political enemies.